Bolt snap-hook.



F. W. COVERT.

BOLT SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. v, 1909.

Patented June 14, 1910.

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FRED W. COVERT, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COVERT MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOLT SNAP-HOOK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED W. COVERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at l Vatervliet, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bolt Snap- I-Iooks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an improvement in snap hooks and more particularly to that type of snap hooks known as bolt snaps.

Heretofore in the bolt type of snap hook, it has been customary and usual to provide a body part or casting with a hollow center or bolt receiving chamber extending longitudinally thereof. The upper wall of the bolt chamber has a narrow elongated cut out portion extending part way the length thereof and opening through the forward edge. This narrow slot is desirable and necessary for the working backward and forward of the shank of the thumb piece employed for moving the bolt backward against the spring, the latter being at the rear part of the chamber.

In the former type of construction, the socalled thumb piece has been made usually with an overhanging part extending both beyond the sides and edges of the web which connects the same with the bolt and in its normal outward position the forward part of this overhang lies slightly beyond the end of the slot. Such a construction has been found objectionable, in that it forms an objectionable projection against which the ring or loop to be secured by the bolt engages and often forces back the bolt and in many cases by contact causes the head of the thumb piece to break off.

A still further objection to the old form is in the fact that the thumb piece, as such, forms no protection to the corners at the open end of the slot, which often become battered, causing irritation to the thumb in operating the bolt and also preventing the bolt from properly projecting for locking purposes.

My invention is designed to overcome these various objections existing in the prior art structures and to accomplish the same I provide conveniently an extended narrow web art, with its forward edge projected well eyond the end of the chambered portion of the casing into the throat of the hook, and to so slope the edges of the thumb piece that the operator can with ease retract the bolt, and when a ring or loop is brought into contact with the projecting end of the bolt and with the web or thumb piece, it will naturally slide off without retracting the bolt or breaking the thumb piece. By my construction, I am also enabled to reduce the size of the operating slot without necessarily weakening the thumb piece connection, which latter is extended longitudinally to an extent which will form a complete union and permanent, practically unbreakable, connection between the thumb piece and the bolt.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, but manifestly slight changes can be made without departing from the nature and spirit thereof.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bolt snap hook showing the improvement, Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section.

In the drawing, A represents the chambered body part of a bolt snap hook, B the hook part, and C the loop of any desired form.

D designates the elongated slot in the chambered part opening through the end thereof, and E designates the sliding bolt which, as usual, is projected outwardly by a spring located behind the same in the end portion of the chamber (the spring is of usual construction and is not here shown).

Extending upwardly from the bolt near its outer end, is a web F, having its forward edge projected a distance which, when the bolt is outwardly projected, will be beyond the end of the chambered portion of the casting, This extending portion f is inclined from its base upward and on top of the web portion is provided a thumb piece G. The forward edge of the thumb piece G is made sloping or converging, as at g and forms in effect a continuation of the inclined surface of the extension f, so that there is a mergence of the inclined portion of the thumb piece and web, lying slightly beyond the end of the chambered part of the bolt. The rear of the web terminates slightly forward of the end of the thumb piece, as is the usual practice. It will be observed that the entire length of the base of the web part is substantially equal to the length of the thumb piece, and inasmuch as the upper edge of the web is connected to the end of the thumb piece, a very rigid connection is formed, one which Will prevent the web and thumb piece from being broken when in use.

In using this type of bolt snap, they are employed in connection with rings or loops and a downward movement of a ring or loop onto the bolt would tend to open the hook or force the hook back, which is an objectionable feature, as the ring can then escape from the bolt. It will be observed further that, should a ring or loop be forced against the thumb. piece, it will, in the first instance, engage the inclined part of the web and the thumb piece. In both instances, the ring or loop Will slide up over the thumb piece without moving the bolt backward. Again, a ring or loop striking the bolt prior to the retraction of the bolt, has a tendency to batter the edges of the corners at the forward end of the slot, but with my construction such a happening is prevented by the inclined end, which deflects the bolt or loop upwardly beyond the casting. These and various other advantages are secured by the invention and particular construction shown, and are an important advance in this specific'art.

I do not claim broadly the idea of a bolt having its upper part inclined forwardly to the point, as that is shown in the patent to Kennedy, No.. 151782, but in my construction, it is necessary for proper operation of the bolt, that the thumb of the operator should be located well beyond the point of the bolt, to prevent the contact of the thumb with the ingoing loop or ring. And further, in the type of bolt shown and described herein, the web or neck of the thumb piece is relatively narrow, so that it may pass into a relatively narrow slot, thus rendering it more nearly possible to close the barrel or chambered part of the casing against the ingress of foreign matter.

A still further advantage in the construction shown is that by the curved forward end of the thumb piece and inclined forward edge of the web, the operator can readily retract the bolt without injury to his thumb. A relatively short end or corner of prior devices often result in such injury.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

In a snap. hook, the combination with a casting having a bolt chamber provided with a narrow slotted portion and a spring operated bolt, of an elongated correspondingly thin web fitting for a substantial portion of its length within the slot and extending from the bolt outwardly through the slot and in normal position beyond the end of the bolt chamber, the edge of the projecting portion of the webterminating a substantial distance from the end of the bolt and inclining upwardly and rearwardly, the outer end of the bolt being substantially elongated, and the juncture between the upper surface thereof and the inclined edge of the web being abrupt so that said elongated portion of the bolt constitutes a substantial barrier across the hook opening relative to both the outside and inside of the hook, and laterally extending enlargements on the web overhanging the bolt chamber, the upper surfaces of which enlargements are rounded in a forward direction coincident with the upper end of the inclined edge of the web, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED W. COVERT.

lVitnesses JOHN H. I-IIRST, GEORGE I-I. LEE. 

